Safety revenue, postage, and like stamp



Dec. s, 1936.

A. A. WITTNEBEL SAFETY REVENUE, POSTAGE AND LIKE STAMP Filed Feb. 14, 1935 INVENTOR MW/W A ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY REVENUE, POSTAGE, AND LIKE STAMP Application February 14, 1935, Serial No. 6,472

11 Claims.

The invention consists in improvements in safety revenue, postage and like stamps, and moreparticularly to a stamp of this character having characteristics preventing the re-use of the stamp if it be attempted to remove it from an article or to remove cancellation markings therefrom.

The invention is to be distinguished from negotiable instruments having impressed thereon safety designs and tints to prevent alteration of such instruments. In such instruments, frauds are perpetrated by removing matter appearing upon the instruments and replacing the removed matter by other matter imparting a different value to the instrument. In the alteration of such instruments, acids of one kind or another are used to remove the Writing upon the instrument, and in the printing of such instruments, inks are used with which the acid Will react in a manner to destroy the line or other safety design, and in some instances, cause the penetration of the paper by the dissolved ink used in making the safety design.

Paper having those safety designs printed With inks which will be reacted upon by acids are not suitable for use in the making of revenue, postage and other similar stamps, for the reason that With stamps the probability of any attempt to alter the value of the stamps is so remote as to avoid the necessity for the inclusion in the stamp of any means preventing alteration.

The difficulty with stamps, however, is that it is not of infrequent occurrence for people to attempt to remove a stamp from a letter, document or article of merchandise and to use the stamp again thus defrauding the issuing authority of the value of the stamp and reducing revenues from the sale of such stamps.

It sometimes happens that postage or revenue stamps are inadequately canceled or are not canceled at all and with some revenue stamps, cancellation of the stamps is not even resorted to, the issuing authorities relying upon the adhesion of the stamp to the letter, document or article or a necessary destruction of the stamp when opening a package to effect a mutilation of the stamp to an extent to prevent its removal and re-use.

If, however, a stamp be removed from one letter, document or article by dissolving the adhesive, and applied to anotherletter, document or article, there is no known method of detecting the fraud thus perpetrated, and particularly with revenue stamps having considerable value, such a practice Would be profitable to the perpetrator of the fraud.

Where cancellation of stamps, by means of inked printing stamps or by ordinary Writing ink is relied upon to prevent re-use of stamps, the cancellation markings may in some instances be removed with an ordinary rubber eraser.

With the above conditions in mind, I have produced a stamp which includes therein the ordinary safeguards afforded by impressing safety designs upon the paper when producing the stamps, and in addition thereto, incorporates in such stamps additional protective characteristics preventing the removal of the stamps from a letter, document or article or the erasure of any cancellation mark therefrom without so transforming the appearance of the stamp as to effect an immediately discernible and permanent cancellation of the stamp. In this manner, the removal of stamps is made impossible Without detection. Stamps of my invention need not include any characteristics to prevent alteration of the stamps.

In producing stamps embodying the invention, it is desirable that they have the appearance of ordinary stamps so that anyone who attempts to re-use the stamp may be apprehended, and other conditions of the stamp excepting those Which are relied upon toprevent the fraudulent re-use thereof, may and should be those commonly found in similar stamps.

The same conditions apply to paper labels and other paper articles used upon containers for merchandise to ensure the genuineness of the merchandise.

I have heretofore produced stamps and similar printed matter to be attached to various articles by means of an adhesive which consisted of a sheet of soft paper, one surface of which was adapted to receive an adhesive and the other surface of which had a finishing coating thereon containing coloring matter. This latter surface had a design impressed thereon by an ink containing Water soluble coloring matter and a Water insoluble pigment. Hence, if it were attempted to destroy the bond secured by the adhesive by soaking the stamp in water or any other liquid attacking the adhesive, the Water soluble coloring matter Was dissolved, the surface of the paper upon which the impression was made was softened and the coloring matter Was absorbed by the paper and spread by capillary attraction so as to so smudge the stamp as to evidence the fraudulent re-use thereof.

In the mixing of the ink used in making Vthe impression, the pigment and the coloring matter Would under some conditions so blend as to result in a color Which Was not desired in the imprint. Furthermore, paper readily obtainable on the open market could be used.

By my present invention, I provide a stamp or similar article having the characteristics above referred to insofar as the automatic cancellation or smudging of a stamp or other article is concerned, but which will avoid the use in the ink of Water soluble coloring matter.

In the stamp of my present invention, specially treated paper must be used, thus making the counterfeiting of the stamp more difficult.

In carrying out the invention, I use in or upon the paper a soluble chemical, which may be of a neutral color or may be used in giving a desired background color tint to the impression, and embody in the ink a separate soluble chemical which is also preferably neutral in color so as notto require any modification in the procedure of mixing the ink to secure a desired color tone therein.v These two chemicals when dry, are inert as to each other, but when placed in solution will react one with the other to produce a colored solution which will be absorbed by Wet paper and be dispersed by capillary attraction or otherwise to form the canceling smudge. With a stamp or other article made in accordance with the invention, a fraudulent re-use of a stamp or other article without detection is prevented, and the difficulties of producing the ink used in making the impression are not substantially greater than in mixing ordinary ink.

Y The invention consists primarily in safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing a water soluble chemical and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, a water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a Vehicle; and in such other novel characteristics as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. l is a face view of a fragmentary portion of a sheet of stamps embodying the invention, a portion of this sheet being rolled to disclose the adhesive coated side of the sheet; and

Fig. 2 is a cross section of a sheet of paper upon a grossly exaggerated scale to indicate the constituent parts of a stamp.

Like numerals refer to like parts in both of said views. 4

In producing stamps embodyingY the invention, a sheet I!) of any desired kind of paper or similar fibrous material is used, one face of this paper being adapted to receive a coating II of an adhesive for use in bonding the stamp to an article. This adhesive may be present upon the stamp in a dry condition, or may be applied thereto when attaching a stamp to an article. Such adhesives ordinarily are either soluble in water or will be softened by water to an extend to permit the breaking of the bond.

Upon the other face of the paper is asurface finish I2, which may consist of a soft glue, casein, starch or other well known sizing; a safety design tint printed on the paper or such a print upon paper nished with such sizing. The surface finish i2 may have a fairly high gloss. Whether this surface consists of sizing, of an inked impression or both, it is preferableto use coloring matter having a light pastel shade and tone so as to provide in the finished stamps an underlying background tint or design of the desired color. This background tint may be continuous and have a uniform tone throughout, if the coating l2 be of Sizing, or may be in a line design printed in a Water insoluble ink if an ordinary printed safety background tint, is employed. When sizing is used for the coating I2, it will be softened by Water or any other liquid, and if a printed line safety background tint be used, the paper will be exposed between the lines of the impression. Hence, if the stamp be subjected to water, either the sizing or the exposed portions of the paper will become so softened as to be readily absorbent.

In Fig. l of the drawing, the surface nish, and the background tint is indicated by light lines.

Impressed upon the background tinted surface coating I2 is any desired design represented by dark irregular lines I3, in Fig. 1 indicating the value of the stamp and incorporating in the stamp the usual safeguards against counterfeiting or illegal production of the stamps.

The color of the inked impression I3 is one which contrasts with the background tint I2.

To produce a smudging of the stamp in the event that it is subjected to water in an effort to remove it from an article, I employ two chemicals which when dry are inert as to each other, but which when placed in solution will react to produce coloring matter which is absorbed by portions of the background tint exposed throughout portions of the impression i3.

By way of example, I may use in the sizing or the inked design constituting the background tint I2, a small percentage of Water soluble lead nitrate which may be included in the surface finish coating, and a small percentage of Water soluble sodium sulphide may be mixed with the ink of the impression I3, or vice versa, it being immaterial how these chemicals be incorporated in the finished stamp so long as one of them is embodied in the finish of the paper and the other in the ink of the impressionl3. The relative proportions of the chemicals used may be varied according to the character of the smudge sought, and the total volume of both chemicals may be from six to seven percent by Weight of the Water insoluble pigments in the ink used in making the impression I3. This percentage is also subject to considerable variation.

The chemical included in the finish of the paper may be mixed with the sizing of, or with the ink used in making, the background tint I2, and when making the impression I3, the paper and the contained chemical must be kept dry.

The other chemical included in the printing ink for making the impression I3 is not made active in relation to the chemical incorporated in the paper finish by the oil Vehicle of the ink, so that both chemicals during and following the making of an impression Will remain inert as to each other.

The pigments in the printing ink used in making the impression I3 is water insoluble, as is the vehicle used. I Y

A chemical more or less neutral in coloring value is preferably used in the ink of the impression I3 so that th-e color of this ink may be controlled by the color pigments used and any blending action because of the presence of the chemical be avoided. The chemical included in the surface finish I2 is also preferably neutral in coloring value although there is not the same difculty in connection with this surface finish as there is in mixing the ink of the color I3, since the background tint is not required to have a definite color. If either of the chemicals has a distinctive color of its own, the placing of the two chemicals in solution and the reactions of one with the other will produce a color differing from that of either of the chemicals.

It is mer-ely necessary that the two chemicals be used in sufficient quantity to cause the chemical reaction of one upon the other to form a sufciently strong color to result in a pronounced smudge upon the exposed surface of a stamp if an article to which the stamp is affixed be soaked in water to an extent to dissolve, or destroy the bond effected by, the adhesive of the coating II sufciently to permit the removal of the stamp from the article.

When a stamp embodying the invention is subjected to water, the two chemicals go into solution and the surface finish or paper is softened so as to become readily absorbent. The two chemical solutions reacting one with the other produces a colored solution which is readily absorbed by the paper, or by the finish coating I2, carrying one of the chemicals. The coloring matter thus produced is dispersed throughout the stamp due to the natural flow of the solution and tocapillary attraction in the paper.

The impression I3 contains a water insoluble pigment carried by an insoluble vehicle, and hence, is not affected by the water so that all of the lines or dots of the printed design I3 remain clear and sharp. This affords a safeguard against counterfeiting of the stamps or labels.

As heretofore stated, the smudging of a stamp when it is wet, effects an automatic cancellation of the stamp.

Heretofore, I have referred solely to the automatic cancellation of a stamp in the event of an attempt being made to remove the stamp from a letter, document or an article by softening the coating of adhesive.

The advantages secured by the use of a stamp embodying the invention, in preventing the erasure of cancellation markings by an acid solution or by an ordinary rubbing eraser, will now be referred to.

When acid solutions are used, the effect of the liquid may be confined to limited areas so as to avoid the smudging resulting from a soaking of the stamp. The liquid of the solution, however, when applied to a small area of the stamp has two effects in addition to the deletion of an inked cancellation mark. It will dissolve the soluble chemicals throughout the area of the stamp to which the acid is supplied, and in addition thereto will destroy or modify the coloring matter in the coating I2 and may even remove a part of this coating. The effect is the formation of a blotch of color and the changing in the color, or the complete removal, of the background tint and of the finish of the paper. These conditions will have the eifect of canceling the stamp quite as effectively as the broad smudge resulting from wetting.

If it be attempted to remove cancellation marks by means of a rubber eraser, such an erasure will remove the impression of the design and also the soft surface coating I2 of the -background tint, thus effectively mutilating the surface design in a manner to effectively cancel the stamp.

As has been heretofore stated, the object of the invention is not to prevent alterations of a stamp by changing the matter indicating the value thereof, and hence no provision need be made for preventing the restoration of the coating I2 or the design I3.

Whatever means may be employed to re-condition a stamp to limit its re-use, the condition of the surface I2 and of the inked design impressed thereon, if it be attempted to dissolve the adhesive or to remove cancellation marks from the stamp in any manner Whatever, will be such as to prevent the restoration of the exposed surface of the stamp to a condition which will concealthe fact that such erasure or such removal has occurred. Y

High grade or hard papers are ordinarily not used in the production of stamps, and the paper ordinarily employed lends itself to the production of a stamp embodying the invention.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to any particular kind of paper or the use of any particular material in the surface coating I2, nor is it the intention to limit the invention to any particular percentage of Water soluble chemicals in the surface finish I2 or in the ink of the impression I3, it being desirable, however, to limit the quantity of such matter to as small an amount as will secure a desired smudging of the stamp when it has been wet in the manner described.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is:-

1. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing a water soluble chemical and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a water insoluble pigment, a water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle.

2. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing sizing which becomes soft and absorbent when subjected to water, coloring matter and a water soluble chemical, and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a water insoluble pigment, a water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle.

3. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing a water soluble chemical and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a water insoluble pigment, a water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle, the total volume of soluble chemicals in the paper finish and in the ink being relatively less than the volume of water insoluble pigment in the ink of the design.

4. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing sizing which becomes soft and absorbent when subjected to water, coloring matter and a water solu ble chemical, and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a water insoluble pigment, a water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a Vehicle, the total volume of soluble chemicals in the paper nish and in the ink being relatively less than the volume of water insoluble pigment in the ink of the design.

5. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of soft paper, one surface of Which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a glazed finishing coating upon the other surface thereof containing a Water soluble chemical and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, a Water soluble chemical capable of reacting With the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle.

6. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of soft paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing sizing which becomes soft and absorbent when subjected to Water, coloring matter and a water soluble chemical, and having a line design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, a Water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle.

7. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of soft paper having a Water soluble dry adhesive coating upon one surface thereof, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing a Water soluble chemical and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, a water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle.

8. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of soft paper having a Water soluble dry adhesive coating upon one surface thereof, a iinish upon the other surface thereof containing Water insoluble coloring matter and a Water soluble chemical, and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, a Water soluble chemical capable of reacting with the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle, said chemicals being of a neutral color tone, and the total volume thereof in said finish and in the ink being relatively less than the volume of water insoluble pigment in the ink of the design.

9. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of soft paper having a Water soluble dry adhesive coating upon one surface thereof, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing Water insoluble coloring matter and a Water soluble chemical, and having a line design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, a water soluble chemical capable of reacting With the chemical in the finish of the paper to produce a color smudge upon the paper, and a vehicle, said chemicals being of a neutral color tone, and the total volume thereof in said finish and in the ink being relatively less than the volume of Water insoluble pigment in the ink of the design.

10. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps, consisting of a sheet of paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a finish upon the other surface thereof containing water soluble lead nitrate and having a design imn pressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, Water soluble sodium sulphide and a vehicle.

11. Safety revenue, postage and like stamps,

consisting of a sheet of paper, one surface of which is adapted to receive an adhesive, a iinish upon the other surface thereof containing water soluble sodium sulphide and having a design impressed thereon, said design being in an ink containing a Water insoluble pigment, water soluble lead nitrate and a vehicle.

ARTHUR A. WITTNEBEL. 

